A New Perspective

By Mayumi Takanashi

Goku opened his eyes quickly. He was surrounded by pearly white, fluffy clouds. The sky was a soft, carnation pink. This was all he could see. He must be in the air, for he was able to walk on the clouds, as though he was in an inflatable bouncing playpen. His shoes sank slightly into the "ground," and this gave him a slight uneasy feeling. However, if he were to fall, he could simply fly, if his powers were able to be put to use in this place. Goku had no idea if he was on another planet, or if he was still on Earth.

As he turned around to take in his surroundings, everything stayed the same. The only thing that stood out from the rest of the landscape was a white stone tower. It was small, yet it had a stone dome at the top and Roman columns that held up the ceiling. In the center of the tower was a floating object, but he couldn't make out what it was. He walked closer, and noticed it was a wand, floating in sparkling dust specks. It had a tip that looked slightly like a snowflake.

"Ah, welcome to the Sky Haven," said a mystical, female voice from nearby.

"Hello?" Goku called back.

A young maiden came out from behind one of the stone pillars, and stood facing him. She wore a long, flowing dress, made from baby blue silk, and a lavender sash hung around her waist. Upon her long, wavy blonde hair sat a silver tiara, which had one single diamond glinting in the center. Goku took notice of the princess's white, feathery wings, which were quite large. She looked about thirty, and she appeared almost as if she was glowing, as if her beauty were radiating off her pale skin.

"I am Anishi, the Heroine of Heroes," she said. Her voice was whimsical, almost as if she were singing in a choir. Whenever she spoke, her bright lavender eyes sparkled.

"I'm Goku," he replied.

"I know, and that is why I brought you here," she sang.

"Because my name is Goku?" he asked, slightly puzzled.

A sweat drop appeared on the back of her head.

"Not quite," she said slowly. "I brought you here because I must speak to you."

"Okay, go ahead," he shrugged.

"First, I must express that only accomplished heroes are allowed in the Sky Haven," she exclaimed. "It is a great honor."

"Wow!" breathed Goku. "I feel special."

"Yes…" she said, surveying him with utmost doubt on her face.

"So what did you need to speak to me about?" he asked.

"Oh, yes," she said, snapping back to reality. "I must explain something to you. You are without a doubt a very powerful warrior. The duty of protecting your planet, as well as the universe, has fallen upon your shoulders. I know you have grasped this already."

"Of course, Princess," he said, nodding his head.

"You will address me as 'my lady,'" she demanded.

"Yes, my lady," he answered, faltering a little.

"Now then," she continued. "You have defeated many enemies, and tackled many foes. These have become obstacles that only you have been able to overcome."

"Sheesh, I didn't ever really think about it that way," he said, scratching his head.

"You have come to the aid of others when no one else was able to," she explained. "You are the protector of the innocent, and that is the quality that makes a man or woman into a true hero or heroine."

Goku listened to her melodic voice intently, keeping his eyes on her face at all times.

"However, you will not live forever, for you are only human," she said. "You must find an apprentice to carry on your spirit, to protect the Earth. You must acquire a student, and train him in the area of Martial Arts."

"Where am I going to find a student, my lady?"

"Do you remember the wish you made, as Kid Buu met his downfall in the Spirit Bomb?"

"Yeah…" he said slowly. "I wished for him to come back as a pure-hearted reincarnation."

"He is to be your prodigy."

"When will I meet him?" asked Goku excitedly.

"At the upcoming World Martial Arts Tournament that will be held in four years time."

"And how long will I have to train him?"

"Perhaps seven years, it will all depend on Uub's progress," she said thoughtfully.

"Uub, is that his name?" asked Goku. "Hey!" he shouted, his eyes widening.

"Yes, I know that seven years is a long time, and that you will only see your family at monthly intervals, but…" she sighed.

"No, I mean that 'Uub' is 'Buu' spelled backwards!" exclaimed Goku happily.

Anishi sweat dropped again.

"Fool," she muttered under her breath.

"I'll do my best to protect Earth and train Uub!" Goku pledged.

"But what is always important to a true hero is the fact that he cares most about his family and friends."

Goku stared into her eyes, which stared back at him.

"I will always keep that in mind, my lady," he said, bowing.

"What have you learned, Goku?" asked the princess.

"I know now that I must train Uub, to ensure that Earth will always have a protector. Also, that I must always do my best to protect Earth, along with my family and my friends," said Goku proudly.

"And I think you have done that well throughout all the years of your life," smiled Anishi. Suddenly, she reached into her sash and pulled out a chain with a charm on the end.

"This is my gift to you," she said kindly. She handed the necklace to Goku, who examined it closely. The charm was the same shape as the tip of the magical wand that floated in the stone structure. It was made from crystal, and the chain was of silver.

"I only offer this gift to the greatest of heroes," warned Anishi. "So take good care of it. Let it serve as a reminder of your courage, your bravery, and your good heart."

"I will, my lady," promised Goku.

"This is where I leave you," Anishi sang. "I wish you the best of luck while in training."

"Thank you," he replied.

A cloud rose up from underneath the majestic princess's feet. It swallowed her up, and she disappeared from sight. Goku noticed that a cloud was also rising from beneath him, and the landscape grew more and more misty…